Brewster arrived in Finland!

Brewster arrived exhibition on 6th March 2009.

During an air battle on June 25, 1942, Russian Hurricane and MiG fighters managed to damage BW-372 flown by lieutenant Lauri Pekuri, so badly that the plane cought fire and Pekuri had to make forced landing into lake near Seesjärvi in Eastern Karelia in the Soviet Union. Pekuri survived, swam ashore and walked back to the Finnish lines.

Finnish fighter ace Heimo Lampi made a proposal and Finnish Timo Nyman and Russian Vladimir Prytkov with their groups searched the plane for National Museum of Naval Aviation, Pensacola, USA. After large searches which took four years Timo Nyman found the plane near Segeza in lake Kole in June 1998. Vladimir Prytkov and his group lifted the plane from the lake in August 1998.

Finally in 2004 it ended up in NMNA from where it was obtained as loan for three and half years to Aviation Museum of Central Finland / FiAF Museum. The searching group and the museum want to display BW-372 to honour the veterans and their sacrifaces.

BW-372 was recieved from the NMNA as a request of the Commander of Finnish Air Force, to solemnize the Air Force 90th anniversary. A notable group of Finns and Americans has taken part in negotiations for the loan of this a/c.

Brewster is not restored to flight status but is displayed in the condition it was when lifted from Lake Kolejärvi (including all the battle damage). Dirt, mud, algae etc. irrelevant material has been removed. The damage caused by lifting and transportation is repaired. All the restoration is done by guidelines and under supervision of the NMNA.

BW in the press conference. Photo by Hannamari Mecklin.

THIS AIRCRAFT IS ON LOAN FROM THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NAVAL AVIATION AT PENSACOLA, FLORIDA USA